Home » Distillery and museum planned in James E. Pepper distillery in downtown Lexington

Distillery and museum planned in James E. Pepper distillery in downtown Lexington

Scheduled to open in 2017

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 4, 2016) — The Georgetown Trading Co., steward of the iconic James E. Pepper ‘1776’ whiskey brand, has announced plans to build a distillery, museum and tourist destination in the historic remnants of the James E. Pepper distillery in downtown Lexington. A grand opening is planned for mid-2017.

The distillery was founded in 1879, when the legendary Colonel James E. Pepper—in whose honor the Old Fashioned cocktail was created—built his distillery on the site, which he then operated until his death in 1906. The distillery continued operations until 1958, when it was shuttered, and then abandoned for over 50 years, eventually falling into disrepair. Over the last few years a portion of the site and adjacent buildings have been revitalized as a vibrant ‘Distillery District’, full of thriving local businesses.

“Truly a momentous day for the Pepper brand”, said Amir Peay, founder and owner of the Georgetown Trading Co. “This has been a dream project for many years and we are thrilled to finally make it a reality. I would like to sincerely thank the developers and businesses in the Distillery District, and the City of Lexington, for all the passion and cooperation they have extended to work together and bring this iconic brand home. We also owe a huge thank you to Colonel James E. Pepper, for giving us such an amazing story and whiskey to share.”